Arthur Melo, Barça's future mastermind

Ever since Xavi's emotional Barça departure three years ago, every club supporter was patiently waiting to see who would prove to be his long-term successor at the Nou Camp.

When we see the intelligence, ball control and excellent passing range that Arthur Melo has at his disposal, it's difficult to not draw parallels between him and the Spanish maestro. The Brazilian, 22, has impressed during his early months at the club and justified exactly why Barcelona made it their mission to sign him, avoiding a potential tug-of-war for his services with other interested suitors across Europe.

Samuel Umtiti is the only first-team player with a better pass completion rate than Arthur's 95.3% this season and his progression has not gone unnoticed - with Xavi himself praising him in the past few days.

"He's [Arthur Melo] one of those players that we say has Barça DNA. He has all the qualities needed to be a success and if he’s given games, I think we’re looking at a player that can mark an era at Barcelona."

Arthur important for Barcelona's midfield balance

The biggest dilemma for Barcelona to ponder was finding the right player equipped with the ability to retain possession in tough situations, when his teammates are struggling or under a constant press.

Partially fulfilled by Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitić and even Lionel Messi, Arthur is someone who can fill this role on his own well - which would consequently see his more creative-minded teammates focus further on their individual responsibilities.

Rakitic's attacking brilliance is sometimes underutilised as he has to drop deeper at times during games

Adapting to a big European move is not necessarily easy, which is why plenty of notable Brazilian wonderkids have failed to show their real potential upon arrival. Denilson, Ganso and Alexandre Pato are prime examples.

The transition to a higher level and faster tempo of football can prove problematic, not least for someone who is still young like Arthur, but he currently appears capable of managing it with seeming ease. It's still early days into the 2018/19 campaign, but Arthur's individual displays are encouraging and could help him settle quickly, which will prove pivotal in filling the Xavi role long-term.